Automatic telegraph



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. A.. L. PARGELLE.

AUTOMATIC TBLEGRAPH. No. 262,105. Patented Aug. 1, 1882.

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(No Model.) y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. L. PAROELLE.

AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH.

No. 262,105. I Patented Aug. 1, 1882.

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UNrTl-n STATES `Arana: Ormea.

ALBERT L. PARCELLE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MER- CHANTS UNION TELEGRAPH` MACHINE COMPANY, OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 262,105, dated August 1, 1882. Application filed September :27, 1881. (No model.)

diagrams showing, respectively in elevation and plan, mechanism for carrying out my invention. Fig. 3 is a detached and enlarged View in section, showing the perforated paper strip in position. Fig. 4t represents a longitudinal section ot' one form of the contact wheels or disks. Fig. 5 represents a portion zo vot" a perforated strip ot' paper embodying my invention. Fig. 6 represents a portion ot' the chemical paper strip at the receiving end ot' the line, showing the characters produced by thearrangement of pert'orat-ions in the transmittin'g-strip shown in Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show modifications of the transmitting mechanism. Fig. l() represents a portion of a paper strip perforated in accordance with myinvention. Fig. l1 represents a portion of the receiving-strip, showing the arrangement ot' characters produced by the perforations shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 represents a portion ot' thereceiving-strip with characters printed thereon. Figs. 13 and 14 represent respectively views 3 5 of a portion of a transmitting-strip with a different arrangement of peri'orations and ofthe corresponding portion of the receiving-strip.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, A represents the transmitting end, and B the receiving end, ot' the line. d represents a disk or drum, which rotates in suitable bearings, r. Bearing upon said drum is a series of metal springs, b, each preferably composed of several fine strips in the form ot' a brush bearing with a yielding pressure upon the drum. gg, Ste., representa series of metallic reeds or circuit-breakers correspon ding in number to the brushes b, and arranged over a series of electro-magnets, jj.

In the operation of my apparatus a strip of paper, hereinafter described, having as many longitudinal rows or series of perforations as there are brushes b, is passed between the drum andthe brushes, its rows of perforations being so arranged that each row coincides with one ofthe brushes, each perforation, as it comes under the point of a brush, permitting the said brush to touch the metal surface ofthe drum, and thereby close the circuit through one of 6o the reeds g. The connection of the reeds g to the drum is such that the closing ot' the circuit through any perforation in a given row in the paper strip will be through only the reed corresponding with said row of perforations, the other reeds remaining inoperative. This result may be accomplished in different ways. In the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4 said result is accomplished by makingthe drum d ot' a series of metal disks, fr 00L-one foreach 7o brush b-said disks being insulated from each other, and providing a series ot' springs, e, one bearing against each disk, and each connected by a wire,j', with one otl the reeds g. In this construction the brushes b are ccnnected by wire c with a battery, C, having a ground-connection. It will be seen that when either brush touches its disk of the drum the -circuit will be closed only through the reed g,

which is connected to the springe, bearing on 8o said disk. In the arrangement shown in Fig.

9, the same result is produced by making the drum with a continuous metal surface from end to end, connecting the drum by wire c to battery C and ground, 'and connecting each 85 brush b by an independent wire,f, to its corresponding reed g, so that when a brush b is in contactwith the drum the circuit is closed only through that brush and its corresponding y reed. Each reed ghas a back contact, h, against 9o which it normally rests. From said back contact a Wire, t', extends to and from a part ofthe electro-magnet j, and then extends to line L. Each reed g is adapted to be vibrated when the circuit is closed through it, and each is tuned to a separate and distinctive pitch-that is, each receives a separate and distinctive number of vibrations per second, and by its action on its electro-magnet j transmits said vibrations through the line L to the receiving-sta- Ico tion B. At the receiving-station the line passes through a series ot' electro-magnets, a n, &c.,

to ground. The magnets n u, 811e., correspond in number to the magnetsjj, 85e., at the transmitting end, and over said magnets fn n, Snc., are arranged a series of vibratin g reeds or circuit-breakers, m m, Src., each of which is tuned to vibrate synchronously with one, and only one, of the reeds g, so that when any one of the reeds g is vibrated the impulses caused thereby Will aff'ect only one of the reeds m, causing said reed to be drawn to its magnet. Each reed mis provided with astylus or point, m', at its free end. Said points are arranged to project different distances over a metallic table, k, on which, when messages are being transmitted, I cause a strip, l, of chemicallyprepared paper to pass. Whenever a reed m is attracted by its magnet its pointis brought in contact with the chemical paper l, and thus caused to close the local circuit D, the current causing a mark to appear upon the paper. The arrangement of the points m' is such that the marks made by each upon the paper will have a different lateral position upon the strip from the others, as shown in Fig. 2, the paper being fed longitudinally by any suitable feeding mechanism-as, for instance, by feed-rolls R- R shown in Fig. 2a-so that each point will make its own longitudinal series of marks, which will preferably be composed of dots and dashes, like those of the Morse telegraphic alphabet.

In transmitting messages with this apparatus by the automatic system I employ a paper strip, a, having as many longitudinal divisions as there are transmitting-reeds, and in these divisions, or both in and between them, the message-pertbrations are formed. To a perforation of a given length, or to a given combination of perforations where more than one are used to indicate a single character, I attach a different meaning in each longitudinal division or upon each linethat is to say, the lateral position of a given perforation or combination of perforations upon the paper strip indicated by the division or line on which it is formed determines the letter or character of which it is a symbol. The strip may be divided into any desired number of longitudinal spaces. In Fig. 13 I have shown longitudinal lines dividing the strip into eight spaces. A perforation ot' a given size in the first space indicatesa given character-say the letter E- a perforation of the same size in the next space the letter H, and so on across the strip. Then commencing again at the space first mentioned, a different charactersay a longer dash-may indicate thelctter D, and so on, the letters most frequently used being preferably arranged nearest one edge ot' the strip, for convenience. In Fig. 10 a strip is shown having eleven lines and twelve spaces. A perforation in the first space here indicates one letter, a perforation on the line dividing the first from the second space indicates another letter, and so on. r Ihe characters may be distinguished from each other in each longitudinal space by the number of perforations comprising them, as shown in Figs. 5 and G-for instance, E may be indicated by one perforation, D by two perforations, and F by three perfor-ations, all in the same longitudinal space in the transmitting strip c, said perforations being reproduced in dots on the receiving-strip l, as shown in Fig. 6. In all cases the number of longitudinal rows or series of perforations in the strip a is the same as the number of brushes or electrodes b and connected transmitting and receiving reeds, the brushes or electrodes b being arranged to register with the rows of perforations, so that when the strip a is placed between the drum d and brushes b and moved longitudinally the perforations of each row will coincide with only one of said brushes and each perforation will allow the current to be closed as usual in automatic telegraphy. The transmitting-reeds are thus caused to vibrate, each having its particular number of vibrations per second, and each causing the vibration of its corresponding receiving-reed, so that the lines of marks made by the points m of the receiving-reeds on the chemical-paper.strip Z will have the same significance as the rows of perforations in the strip a, the lateral position of each mark indicating its value or meaning.

It will be seen that by the arrangement of perforations in the transmitting-strip in several longitudinal rows or series and the em-- ploy/ment of the transmitting and receiving reeds corresponding in numbers to the rows ot' perforations great rapidity in the transmission of messa ges can be attained,the letters or characters being sent almost simultaneously. The arrangement of perforations in the strip a is such, however, that the letters are not transmitted simultaneously, but in very rapid succession, so that each character on the receiving-strip will have a diii'erent longitudinal position from the characters coming before and after it, as shown in Fi gs. 10 and 1l. The order in which the characters are to be read is thus indicated by their longitudinal position. The order in which the characters are recorded on the strip l is secured by forming the perforations in the strip a in the same order as shown in Figs. l0 and 13. Both the strip a and the strip l are preferably provided with transverse lines or marks to indicate more clearly the order in which the characters stand and enable the message to be read easily.

I propose to perforate the strip a by the use of a perforating-machine operating on the principle of the type-writer, and adapted to form perforations or combinations of perforations by the depression of a corresponding key to feed the paper along after each perforation or combination of perforations is made, and also to feed the paper after the completion of each word, so as to form a space between each word and the next.

I prefer to print, at intervals of a foot or more or less, upon the strips a and l a key or guide (seen in Figs. l0 and 13) indicating the IOO IOS

IIO

letter or character` represented by a perforation in a given longitudinal space ofthe strip a and a dash or mark in a given longitudinal space of the strip l. Such key or guide is preferably printed in a pale tint, so that it can be seen by the operator without being so conspicuous as to interfere with the reading of the message.

When a brief message is to be sent the circuit may be closed through a series ot' levers, n, (seen in Figs. 7 and 8,) equal in number to the transmitting and receiving reeds, and having at their outer ends knobsa1 marked with the characters they represent. Each lever is connected to a. battery, (l. Over the inner end ot' each lever is ametallic insulated anvil-block, a, which is connected to one of the reeds g. .By pressing down one ot' the levers v contact is made with the corresponding anvil-block u, and the circuit is closed through the connected reed g the same as when the perforated strip a is employed.

1f desired, the receiving-reeds may be adapted to make the characters ou the receivingstrip lin ordinary letters, as shown in Fig. 12.

I am aware that it is not new, in asystem of telegraphy in which a receiver is put in vibration by electrical impulses sent along the linewire from the transmitting-station, to combine at the receiving end a local circuit independent of the receiver and a vibratory circuitbreaker in said local circuit acted upon by said receiver to effect a permanent make or break, as the ease may be, of the local circuit, which is continued so long as the receiver continues to vibrate and ceases wit h the cessation ot' the receivers vibration, and such combina-- tion I do not therefore claim. Neither do I claim a telegraph system comprising the comries of differently-toned vibrating reeds or circuit-breakersatthetransmittingstation,meaus for independently putting into vibration any of the said reeds, a series of stylus-pointed 'vibrating reeds or circuit-breakers at the receiving-station, corresponding in tone to the series of reeds at the transmitting-station, a series of local circuits including the styluspointed reeds, a conducting-bed, and local batteries, and means for moving a chemicallyprepared receiving-strip between the bed and the stylus-pointed reeds, whereby, by successively putting in vibration the transmittingreeds, marks or prints are made ou the receivin gstrip successivelyand in longitudinal rows, thus producing a condensed message on a short receiving-strip, substantially as described.

2. ln an automatic telegraph system, the combination ot a main line and its battery or batteries, a series of differently-toned vibrating reeds or circuit-breakers at the transmitting-station, a transmitting-strip'having its pert'orations arranged successively in longitudinal rows, and having as many longitudinal rows of pert'orations as there are transmittingreeds, means for making the circuit successively through the perforations of the different rows, so as to cause the vibration ot' the corresponding transmitting-reeds, a series of stylus-pointed vibrating reeds or circuit-breakers at the receiving-station, corresponding in tone to the reeds at the transmitting-station, a series oflocal circuitsincluding thestylus-pointed reeds, a conducting-bed, and local-batteries, and means for moving a chemically-prepared receiving-strip between the bed and the styluspointed reeds, whereby, by the operation of the transmitting-strip, marksor prin ts are recorded on the receiving-strip successively in longitudinal rows corresponding in relative position to the perforations in the transmitting-strip, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, 'in the presence ot' two subscribin g witnesses,this 21st day of September, A. D. 1881.

ALBERT L. PARCELLE.

Witnesses FRED FARRON, H. Gr. WADLIN. 

